Trying To Stay Gold
by staygold286
Summary: Ponyboy Curtis was told by his best friend right before his death to "Stay Gold." Now that the gang's pet is dead, the gang's toughest member is dead, and Ponyboy's back at school for the first time in weeks, nothing could get better. rnSorry I haven't up
1. Changes

Chapter 1-Changes

I woke up in the middle of the night, the clock next to the bed said 2:15. I groaned, getting up heading towards the desk. Books that I had read while I was home sick were stacked on the side of the desk. Soda's old yearbook that I had looked through was turned to the page that Bob's picture was. Just that night I finally finished my essay for Mr. Syme's english class. What I really wanted to see though, was the note that Johnny had left me in the middle of the book he had bought me in Windrixville. I found it on top of the book, I had to re-read it.  
_Ponyboy, I asked the nurse to give you this book so you could finish it. The doctor came in awhile ago but I knew anyway, I keep getting tierder and tieder. Listen, I don't mind dying now. It's worth it. It's worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came by to thank me, and I know it was worth it. Tell Dally it's worth it. I am just going to miss you guys. I've been thinking about it, and that poem the guy that wrote it, he meant your gold when you're a kid, like green. When you're a kid, everything's new, dawn. It's just when you get used to everything that it's day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's gold. Keep that way, it's a good way to be. I wnat you to tell Dally to look at one. He'll probably think you're crazy, but ask for me. I don't think he's ever really seen a sunset. And don't be so bugged about being a greaser. You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There's still lots of good in the world. Tell Dally, I don't think he knows.__  
__Your Buddy,__  
__Johnny._

I couldn't help but get teary eyed. Maybe Johnny would be telling Dally that, explaining what he had written. I was thinking about Johnny trying to explain to Dally about what he had explained to me on that note, when Sodapop's voice made me jump  
"Go to bed Pony, school tomorrow." I remembered, tomorrow I did have to go to school for the first time in two weeks. Tomrorow I had to hand in my essay. I went to bed, thinking about tomorrow and getting more nervous.

The next morning, Darry woke me up. Two-Bit, Steve, and Sodapop were all out in the living room. But, it just seemed different. It wasn't as lively ... Steve and Soda weren't wrestling, making each other trip over the table legs. Two-Bit leaned against the couch, he couldn't admire his switchblade since Dally had it when he had died. He looked more bored then ever, and good ol' Two-Bit was never bored.  
"You ready for school, Pony?" Steve asked when he saw me walk in. I had gotten dressed in my room, I was wearing my dirty jeans and Buck Merrill's shirt that Dally had given me that night Johnny killed Bob. I nodded my head and went straight to the fridge. Darry had restocked on our food the same day we had to go to court. I made myself a sandwich and sighed. Nothing seemed to be the same anymore, when the whole gang was circled around the floor with the music blasting and everyone screaming and yelling and laughing, that felt like home. Now, only half of the gang was left, and for that reason, it wasn't the same. It was Johnny and Dally who had made all of those mornings make you feel like you wanted to cry and yell in anger at the same time. I lost track of time, thinking and eating my sandwich when Darry said "Pony, time for school." I went into the jeep with him and we left. I had my essay in one hand, and my binders in the other.

"Pony, alot of people are probably going to be staring at you after what happened. But remember, it's nothing bad." Darry told me, I smiled and got out of the jeep. The high school I went to was rather large, it had at least 1,000 students there. I walked to my locker, and there she was. Cherry Valance leaned against the wall, talking to Marcia. I turned red, looking at Cherry made me think of Johnny ... But thinking of Cherry made me feel happy again. "Should I go talk to her?" I asked myself, then I thought "Yes," and walked towards here.  
"Cherry," I whispered. Cherry turned to me and smiled, giving me a big hug.  
"I'm so glad to see you again! I wondered if you'd ever come back, Right before the court date I got a job, down at a restaurant, waiting tables. Sodapop came there just to talk to me, and tell me how you were doing. He said you were looking horrible, and I prayed for you every night, Ponyboy. I'm so glad to see you're okay now!"  
"Thanks, I was thinking about you all that time, too. So, you got a job, huh?" Just then, the bell rang. She said yes and then "talk to you later!" and headed off for class. I had english, which meant Mr. Syme would be seeing my essay. I liked it, and hated it at the same time. It was exposing all of those secrets I had kept inside of me, those feelings. I felt good about it because I found it darn right good. I had hoped for at least a B

"Well, well, well. Mr. Curtis has at last returned." Mr. Syme acknowledged me being there and smiled. "With an essay, I could hope?" I nodded and he smiled. "Excellent, it better be good after getting a phone call from you after midnight." I apoligized and went in. To my surprise, the whole class cheered when they saw me. I felt like Brad Pitt.  
"Now," Mr. Syme began getting the whole classes attention at once. "Welcome back Mr. Curtis, glad to see you are feeling better. I hope you have all done like Mr. Curtis and brought your essays to be marked? If you haven't, you still have tomorrow but that is your last time. Any later, you will lose 5 points each day. Now, if you have done as told and brought your essay today, please bring it up to my desk right now!" A bunch of kids stood up, including me and put our essays on Mr. Syme's desk. So far, from what I could tell, mine was the largest. I smiled when I saw that.

The end of the day finally came. My first day back seemed to take forever, but at 3:00 the final bell rang. I hurried to my locker and saw Cherry, waiting there.  
"Hey Cherry," I said when I saw her. She looked up and smiled. "Hey Pony, I was waiting for you. Sorry I didn't run into you during any of those breaks, I had to catch up with a ton of work I missed on the court date. I'll try and pop by to your house later if that's okay?"  
"Sure. Look, I better go, Darry'll be waiting. But yeah, you can come by any time." I hurried off and found the jeep parked in front of the school. Darry was sitting there, listening to the radio.  
"Hey pony. C'mon, gotta get home so I can make supper." I hurried in there. "How was the first day of school?"  
"Alright. I hope Mr. Syme likes my essay." I said, still thinking "will he like it? will he not like it?"

Sodapop was the only one at home, he was on the phone. He seemed to be talking on the phone alot lately. But no one knew who it was, he was talking to exactly. "Hey Sodapop, who ya talking to?" I said throwing my binder at him. He didn't answer, he just said "I gotta go, cya." And hung up. Steve and Two-Bit came by, Darry and Sodapop went out after supper. I went to bed, and they still hadn't returned. Steve and Two-Bit were staying over night, all 3 of us were getting worried about Darry and Sodapop, especially since it was really raining hard that night.

Around 4:30 in the morning, the door slammed open and I heard footsteps coming really quickly. "Pony, get your things ready." I heard Darry say, "Darry? What is it?" I said whispering.

"It's Soda, Ponyboy ... There was an accicdent."


	2. Tough Times

Chapter 2-

I sat up in my bed, clueless. "A-a-accident?" I whispered. Darry nodded his head, I jumped out of bed and got dressed. Steve and Two-Bit were all ready waiting in the jeep for us, so we rushed to the hospital. It was just two weeks ago that I was here, getting told by Johnny to "Stay Gold." Well, right now I was finding it rather difficult to stay gold...

Sodapop's doctor, Doctor O'hara, stopped us on our way to the hospital room. "Hello boys. Before you go in there, I must first of all warn you. Sodapop's neck, arm, and leg is broken. He's badly bruised and has plenty of cuts. He is right now, in a coma so I find it best for you to talk to him, give him a recollection if his past. Tell him what happened, why he's in such pain. Oh, also there are pieces of glass in his eye so there is a bandage right by his eye, just to warn you. He'll be going into eye surgery tomorrow." He walked away, I was just standing there, clueless, not aware of what was happening. We walked into the room, there lay - no, no ... That poor, helpless body couldn't be my second oldest kid-brother. But the closer I got to him the more I could recognize him. His leg and arm rest on a seperate pillow, crutches were leaned against the wall for when Sodapop woke up, bruises covered his whole body.  
"Darry, what happened to him?" I whispered.  
"Well, I had to go to work and then Sodapop took a cab to the store, where that girlfriend of yours works. He got in an accident, the driver of the cab died, and the other one left with just a scratch." Why is god doing this to me? Does he even know I exist? He's betraying me! I repeatedly told my self "god hates me!" when out of nowhere, I began to scream "no, no, NO!" I dropped down to the floor, bawling like a baby. The next second, two bit, steve, and darry were all next to me. This was just like mom and dad's funeral, Sodapop and I were on the ground, bawling, Darry just stood there, his fists in his pocket.  
"Sshh, Ponyboy. You don't want your brother to hear you crying like this while we could be convincing him to the best we can." Steve whispered. I got up, and stared at Soda for quite along time in the silent room.  
"Hey, Sodapop." Darry whispered. "Don't worry about all of this pain, you were in a car accident. But, you'll be fine and out of here in no time, you mark my words, little brother."

I woke up, sweating to the bone, uncomfortable. I realized I was still in the hospital. Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit were all fast asleep, I looked at Soda for along time again, not being able to believe that that was my older brother.  
"Soda, I hope everything's going okay for you. I handed in my english essay to Mr. Syme today, we're finding out our marks tomorrow. I promise, I'll come and visit you right after. I hope you'll be awake in time for my birthday, oh of course you will. Another two months, eh? This is going to be on the front page of the newspaper I bet, if it is I'll save it so you can see."  
"Are you four still here?" The nurses voice made me jump. "I swear, you should've been home three hours ago, what are you still doing here?"  
"We were told we could stay, and we fell asleep. I just woke up..." I explained to the nurse.  
"Oh, okay. Any sign of Sodapop coming to?" I shook my head no. Darry woke up, seeing what time it is and waking everyone else up.  
"Well, little brother. You got school tomorrow, after school we'll come back and see Soda. Alright?" I wished I was able to just stay there in the hospital until Soda would wake up, but I knew that I had already missed two weeks of school.

Just like I told Soda that night, the story about the carcrash was on the front page of the newspaper. I read it, over and over again. I cut it out of the newspaper and carried it around with me in my binder, so I could show Sodapop after school.

Mr. Syme's class was first, I went in there, shaking nervously. I just wanted to see what grade I had gotten on my essay.  
"Well, my scholars. I must say, I was very impressed with all of your essays. Some, could've been improved, some were average, some were above average, the rest were 100 above average! I will now be passing them out," He passed out the papers. Mine came 5th, I looked on it. "_A+ Very good work Ponyboy. I feel like I know you a whole much better, and I understand how you feel about Dally and Johnny. My sister and brother died in a car crash. By the way, I heard about your brother. Update me on the progress he is making. Job well done!_" When he walked past me, we made eye contact and he winked at me. The rest of the day, I spent in the nurses office. I began to feel sick to my stomach right after english class, I lay in the bed in the nurses office, thinking about Sodapop, and how God had once again betrayed me, and my whole gang.

Darry picked me up and we headed onto the hospital. Dr. O'Hara stopped us.  
"I have some news," he said.


	3. Chapter 3 Awake

Chapter 3

Oh god, I thought. Soda's dead, isn't he? I think Dr. O'Hara caught on that I thought my older brother was dead, because he put his hand up, shook it and said  
"Oh no, he's not dead. He's woken up, we were actually a bit surprised, to tell you the truth, that he woke up so soon after the accident, but nonetheless we were much more relieved then surprised. He doesn't really have his memory, so with your permission tomorrow we will be taking him to a counsellor, it doesn't include going out of the hospital itself, it's just up on the next floor. Then we will see how he's doing, and if he feels up to it he will go to a class for the afternoon, many people like him have taken this class before and it does help them. Even some people in conditions worse then Sodapop's have taken this class and it's worked for them, but we are almost positive that it will work on him."  
"Sounds okay" Darry agreed, nodding. "How about his injuries? Did you find anymore"  
"We havne't found anymore, he seems to be very annoyed by the neck brace, but I don't blame him for that one bit. He takes a variety of pills every three to four hours  
, he took one last about three hours now, so make sure that when the nurse comes to give him his medicine he takes water with it. Anything else" We all shook our heads and left to Soda's room.

There he was, my 16 year old brother, lying there in the hospital bed staring at the ceiling. It looked like he was talking to himself in his head, only his lips were moving but making no noise. I looked around the room, a couple of vases of flowers were on the headboard, cards beside them. On the cart that his food lie on, there was a card open. I smiled at the fact that my brother, as handsome as a movie star was getting alot of attention, but why for this reason? What did he do to deserve this? Why did we have to be in here to visit him? Why can't we go and visit him at the DX instead of the hospital? Why couldn't today be the early morning, Maybe Steve and Two-Bit would come in and tickle us to death until we finally woke up, Chocolate cake on the table, each with something we liked. Then Soda and Steve would drop me off at School on their way to work, then maybe he and Steve would come home for dinner and we would all stuff our mouths like we always did, then we'd watch TV.

"Hey, little brother." Darry said, he always used to say that when he'd pick both of us up from school on our way home, before Mom Dad died. Sodapop just tried to turn his head but didn't succeed. He didn't say anything? Did he even know who was here?  
"Hi..." He said.  
"It's us, Darry Pony, Steve, and Two-Bit." His eyes went wide  
"Oh, hey guys." He whispered. His broken arm slowly went up, and he pointed to the card that lay on the cart. "Read it."  
I picked it up, it said  
_Hey Soda,  
I got a phonecall from Steve the other night, he told me that you were in the hospital. I'm so sorry to hear that, everything okay? Well - I guess that's kind of a silly question to ask you, I'm doing good and bad, I'm getting more pregnant now. Look, Soda, I just want you to know - I might be coming back to Tulsa just to see you and your brothers. I want you to be there when this baby is born, hospitalized or not. But we all know you'll be out of the hospital in five months.  
Love,  
Sandy_  
I passed it on to Darry, Two-Bit, and Steve. They all gasped when they read it.  
"What do you think about it" Darry asked Soda, who tried to shrug but once again failed.  
"I dunno, it'll be good to see her, and bad because she broke my heart. Steve, thank you for phoning her." Steve nodded and laughed.

"Meds" A voice made us jump, a rather excited looking nurse with curly brunette hair and big glasses came into the room, holding a tray. A cup with at least 5 differnet pills in it was on the tray, and a glass of water with a straw. Also some paper and a pen. "Here you go Sodapop, all of your pills, the water, and that pen and paper you asked for." She put the tray down, smiled at us and walked out of the room, she was pushing a big cart full of trays.  
"Soda? You need us to write a letter for you or do you want to" Two-Bit asked, willingly.  
"Uhh, well right now I gotta take my medicine and that glass or water, and then I'm gonna go to bed. Then, if your here I will get one of you to write it, if not I have no problem writing it." Had he planned this? It sounded like he did, he took the pills and the glass of water. "See ya'all." And went to bed.


End file.
